The Princess and the Phoenix
by RemiScarlet58
Summary: A moon princess is exiled to Earth for drinking immortality elixir. All who seek her hand in marriage are made to go on five impossible requests. But when the exiled girl gives the request to the wrong man, his daughter will stop at nothing to restore her family's lost honor. My version of Mokou and Kaguya's backstories, leading up to the events of Imperishable Night.
1. The Elixir

**THE PRINCESS**

* * *

Kaguya kneeled down before the shrine, her hands clasped together as if in prayer. In truth, it was a pathetic attempt to keep her hands from shaking, and she could not stop herself from looking over her shoulder at the courtyard behind her.

There was no one around, as she had already known, but even the visual confirmation did little to soothe her nerves. There was always the chance that someone would stop by the shrine on their way through the palace, and then they would discover what she was about to do.

And what she was about to do was very, _very_ illegal.

She licked her lips, turning back to the shrine. It looked like it had been built only yesterday, but Kaguya knew that was untrue. The shrine was in all actuality thousands of years old, and yet like everything on the Moon did not show the slightest hint of age. It was also dedicated to the patron god of the Moon's royal family, _Kaguya's_ family: Yagokoro, the goddess of medicine.

The medicine goddess could create almost any drug imaginable, and with Kaguya's innate ability to manipulate the eternal...Well, the combination could produce extreme results.

After one final glance over her shoulder to confirm that she was alone, Kaguya reached into the folds of her dress and produced five shiny gold coins. She placed these coins in the wide open bowl for offerings at the foot of the shrine. There were other things in the bowl: a few copper coins, a loaf of bread, a small wedge of cheese, and a bottle of the cheapest wine. The latter items were no doubt from more poorer families who couldn't afford much. Perhaps a loved one had been injured, and the peasants sought the goddess' blessing for recovery. Lunarians did not get sick, nor did they die of old age, but unfortunately they could die from battle or accidents.

But soon, with the goddess' help, Kaguya would never have to worry about dying.

"O Goddess, I beseech ye, come to me in my time of need," she intoned, bowing her head.

"What do you require of me, princess of the royal family?"

Kaguya jumped in fright, for she had not heard anyone approach. But as she turned to take in the newcomer, she relaxed.

The woman standing before her was only a few inches taller than Kaguya, but there was an aura of unyielding power and wisdom emanating from her. She wore a blue nurse's cap on top of her long silver hair, which was fashioned into a thick braid. Her dress was red and blue, and was covered in constellation patterns. In her right hand she carried a crescent-shaped bow, and there was a quiver filled to the brim with arrows slung across her back.

Kaguya's heart skipped a beat as she settled into a deep curtsey. Here, right before her, was the medicine goddess.

"Goddess, I request your aid. I wish to make an elixir that will allow me to live forever: the Hourai Elixir," she said formally. She did not dare speak the goddess' actual name in front of her. The woman before her was instrumental in founding the Lunar Capital; Kaguya would never show such blatant disrespect!

The goddess did not even blink at the treasonous request, gazing down at the girl with distant curiosity. "Lunarians are already long-lived, and you will be considered impure if you truly desire to avoid death."

"I do not want my life to be cut short by battle. I do not want one mistake to cost me everything. No, I want to _live._ If I am immortal, then I can win every battle. No one will be able to usurp the throne, for I will never fade away. I do not care what others think of me. They are fools to not have realized this before. Please, Goddess, grant my request," Kaguya was proud that her voice did not falter even the slightest bit. She slowly raised her head until she was looking at the goddess dead in the eyes.

The goddess inclined her head. "I cannot grant your request. The ingredients for the everlasting life do not exist."

Kaguya smiled wickedly. "I have the power to manipulate the eternal; I can help make the elixir."

The goddess raised her eyebrows, ever so slightly. It was the first sign of emotion Kaguya had seen from her.

"Very well. It will take me a day to collect the rest of the things I require. Meet me at this time tomorrow. Make sure you are alone. I assume you know what will happen if we are caught?"

Kaguya's heart raced, and it was all she could do to nod her agreement. The goddess was actually _helping_ her! She'd get her wish and achieve eternal life! Never again would she have to worry about her life being ripped away from her!

The goddess inclined her head, and vanished from sight.

As if in a trance, Kaguya stood, and walked dazedly back to the palace.

* * *

When the time came, Kaguya returned to the shrine. Every second leading up to this moment had lasted forever; it had taken all of her self-control to make herself act normal. The charade appeared to have worked, as she was not followed. The medicine goddess was there, holding a vial of pale silver liquid.

"It only needs your power, Princess," the goddess said kindly, smiling gently at Kaguya.

She took a deep breath, and approached the shrine. The goddess held out the vial, and Kaguya took another deep breath to calm herself before turning to the container.

She focused on the vial of liquid. Without her power, it was meaningless. It would spoil eventually, becoming useless. It would change, turning into nothing.

So, she made the liquid _not_ change. It would never change, never spoil, never become nothing.

It was eternal, and whoever drank it would become eternal too.

Kaguya dared not celebrate, not just yet. The hard part, the part that would get her arrested, was yet to come.

The goddess examined the concoction, and pronounced it fit to drink.

Kaguya took the vial, and brought it to her lips. The liquid shook, jarred by her unsteady, nervous hands.

"The first taste will prevent you from growing up or aging, and the second will make you incapable of getting sick, but as a Lunarian you already possess those abilities," the goddess advised, standing patiently to the side. "It is the third taste that will render you incapable of dying. You will still be as frail and vulnerable as you are now, but even complete destruction of your body will result in complete restoration. You will still feel pain, but even the gravest of injuries will heal in a matter of days. However, your body will still require food and rest, and if anyone were to consume your liver raw they too will become immortal."

Kaguya nodded, and steeling herself, she took a sip of the elixir.

Immediately her mouth was on fire, for it was like she had consumed the hottest flame in the universe. She choked briefly, not at all expecting this adverse reaction. But she got her wits about her, and forced herself to consume the swallow of elixir. Her throat burned as the liquid traveled downwards, and when it reached her stomach she could feel her entire body burst into flame. She tried to scream, but no words would come out. When she reached down to try and put out the flames, she realized with a start that her body was completely normal. The feeling of being burned from the inside was completely within her mind.

Finally, the burning feeling faded, and Kaguya could speak once more. She gasped for breath, collapsing to the ground. That was too much! She couldn't go through that again, and she still had two more sips until she reached full immortality!

The goddess put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, and this touch of compassion was what made her stand up and grimly take another sip.

This time, her mouth and throat burned not with the hottest fire, but with the coldest ice. She could feel her body become numb with cold, and she was half-surprised to find that her breath was not visible in the air. The icy feeling spread throughout her until she could no longer move. Again she tried to cry out, but her vocal cords were frozen solid.

This feeling too faded away eventually, and Kaguya did not fall to the ground as before. She did not feel any different, but as the goddess said, she didn't really have much use for the first two tastes.

It was the final taste's effects that she so desired.

Without even pausing to deal with the second sip's aftermath, she dove straight into the third sip.

This sip was much more tolerable than the previous two. The taste was warm, but it was more like a gentle caress from the sun rather than the scorching heat of fire or the burning numbness of ice. She had no trouble getting this swallow down. An odd warmth spread from her core and all over her body. She shivered, and the warmth faded away.

"I...did it," she whispered hoarsely in amazement.

She turned to thank the goddess, but the woman was staring in alarm at something behind Kaguya. The princess turned, and dropped the vial she held in shock. Most of the remaining elixir splashed onto the ground.

There, staring at the two in disgusted horror, was Watatsuki no Yorihime, a fellow princess of the Moon only a couple hundred years older than Kaguya. Yorihime was staring at the discarded vial on the ground. The blue-haired princess then slowly dragged her gaze to Kaguya's own fearful expression.

"You...just _drank_ the Hourai Elixir…" she said faintly, shaking her head slowly in disbelief.

"Yori-" Kaguya started to walk towards Yorihime, but the girl quickly pulled out a wickedly-sharp sword from a sheath at her side.

"Stay back!" Yorihime ordered, her voice cracking at the end. Kaguya obeyed, eyeing the sword warily. Yorihime's skill with that sword was rivaled by no one.

"What are you doing here?" Kaguya demanded fearfully, gazing around the courtyard for any other signs of life. Thankfully, there were none.

"I sensed that the medicine goddess was busy, and you were acting strange yesterday, so I came to see what was the matter," Yorihime replied, not lowering her weapon.

Kaguya cursed. Yorihime's mind was as sharp as her sword, and the girl could also summon godly powers. Stupid, stupid, _stupid!_ She should have been more careful, especially around Yorihime!

"Th-there's only one of you, and two of us," Kaguya bluffed, searching for a way out. She was loathe to hurt a member of her court, but the consequence for drinking the elixir was…

Oh. _Oh_.

Kaguya did not have anything to fear, then.

Yorihime shook her head. "Everyone else is on their way. I told them once I saw you making the elixir." she looked past Kaguya, to the goddess. "Why would you do this, Lady Yagokoro…?"

The goddess had no time to reply, for at that moment palace guards swarmed out from the doors to the palace like sand falling out of a sieve.

Among those come to arrest the duo was Yorihime's older sister, Toyohime. The blonde girl was brandishing her favored fan, which was powerful enough to reduce forests to atomic level.

The other guards joined the sisters in surrounding the two guilty women with their own weapons. Kaguya's arms were wrenched behind her, and she was led away from the shrine. She knew she was being escorted straight to the dungeons.

The last thing she saw before the doors to the courtyard were slammed shut was Toyohime approaching the goddess with a look of great betrayal.

* * *

Kaguya's stay in the dungeon was almost nonexistent. The royal judicators had all the evidence they needed to convict her, and it was lying in front of the shrine.

She was hauled from her cell, and marched straight up to the courtroom. The guards holding her threw her roughly onto the polished marble floors, and she carefully picked herself back up. Everyone from the palace was here to watch the proceedings, she realized as she looked around the room. The Watatsukis, the palace guards, the goddess of situation-reversing, Sagume Kishin. All except Sagume were pointing at her and whispering to one another.

...Even her own parents were here, she noticed, tears coming to her eyes. They stared at her with disapproval etched all across their faces. Kaguya looked away, feeling shame burn her cheeks. It then occurred to her that the medicine goddess was not here with her. She looked around again, and confirmed that her co-conspirator was absent from the trial. What had they done with her?

She had no time to wonder, for the hushed whispers of the crowd ceased as Lord Tsukuyomi himself entered the courtroom.

Kaguya, like everyone else, knelt down as he sat in the empty throne in the front of the room. The founder of the Lunar Capital was _here_ , to decide her fate-! Her heart raced, and she felt beads of sweat begin to form on her brow. Things did not bode well for her.

"...Rise," his voice boomed throughout the room. After the Lunarians stood, he turned his wizened face onto Kaguya, who tried not to flinch underneath his gaze.

"...Kaguya. You are accused of drinking the Hourai Elixir and becoming impure. How do you plead to that?"

She saw the vial she'd discarded in one guard's hand. She knew she was trapped.

"Guilty, My Lord."

Lord Tsukuyomi inclined his head in response. "...An honest answer. The punishment shall now commence."

Two guards grabbed her again, and she did not struggle as they led her to a wooden stake to the right of the room. She said not a word as they bound her tightly to it. She tried to move an arm experimentally, but the ropes did not give way the slightest bit.

"...The consequence for drinking the elixir is death. Does the condemned have any last words?" Lord Tsukuyomi asked her, no trace of emotion in his eyes.

Kaguya shook her head, instead focusing on preparing on what was about to come.

"...Very well. Begin the execution."

A guard came forward, carrying with him an ornately-decorated ceremonial knife.

As the executioner drew closer, Kaguya turned her gaze back to her parents. Her mother was weeping softly into her father's shirt, and her father refused to meet his daughter's eyes.

She felt a cold sting on her neck, and she switched her gaze down to the knife that was currently slicing her throat in half.

She cried out as her vocal cords, arteries, and veins were severed. Pain overwhelmed her senses, and she tried to draw in a breath, but found she could only gurgle as blood poured from her wound. She attempted to hold her gaping neck together, but for some reason her arms wouldn't obey her.

The pain soon turned to black, and then she knew nothing.

Then, she was waking up in the courtroom. Although she couldn't see it, she could actively _feel_ her throat put itself back together, until it was like the past two minutes had never happened.

The onlookers gasped and murmured in wonder to each other.

Lord Tsukuyomi only frowned. "...Kill her again."

And thus, Kaguya had to experience death once more. Still, she eventually woke up with a healed throat. Again, the executioner was ordered to try again.

And again. And again. Annnnnd again.

Finally, even Lord Tsukuyomi had to concede the effort was wasted. "...The elixir has already taken effect. She cannot be executed for her crimes. Therefore, she shall be exiled…"

Kaguya breathed a sigh of relief. Anything was better than being killed again!

"...to Earth."

" _What?!_ " she shrieked as the onlookers gave a collective hiss of disgust.

She's have to live with _humans?!_ _Forever?!_ Suddenly, the knife didn't seem so bad anymore.

There was a reason Lord Tsukuyomi founded the Lunar Capital. Humans were filthy creatures; bloodthirsty, irrational, and their planet sucked the life out of all that lived on it. Earth was...impure.

Like Kaguya, now that she had drank the Hourai Elixir.

"...Tonight is the full moon, yes?" the Lord asked Toyohime. The princess nodded wordlessly. "...Then she shall be exiled immediately. Make sure she arrives on Earth and does not return."

Kaguya burst into tears as she was cut free from the stake and prepared for her exile.

* * *

When it was time, Kaguya was loaded onto a boat with the Watatsuki sisters on the shore of the Sea of Tranquility. The sisters were well used to sea travel, as they themselves lived in Mare Ingenii, as it was their duty to watch over the Earth and make sure no earthling could harm the Moon.

Kaguya was locked in the hold of the boat with the pitiful remains of the Hourai Elixir, and as the ship rocked back and forth she wept, but no tears came from her eyes. She had no more left by now.

Countless hours passed. She couldn't tell what was going on above, but she knew they were crossing the Sea of Tranquility, then the Sea of Rains, the Ocean of Storms, and finally Mare Ingenii, where Yorihime and Toyohime lived.

The door leading to the bow opened, and Yorihime gestured for Kaguya to come out. Seeing as the princess had her sword drawn, Kaguya hastened to obey.

She'd never seen the Earth so closely before. She could see the blues of its oceans, its green landmasses, and the white puffy clouds that dotted the planet like flowers in a field.

She could feel her lip start to tremble again as she gazed upon her future prison. On that planet lived countless humans and their violent, irrational urges. And here she was, about to join them.

She could see the barrier that separated the Moon from the Earth. On the night of the full Moon, it was visible against the cerulean color of Mare Ingenii.

"Swim towards the barrier and you'll find yourself on Earth," Toyohime said gruffly, not looking at Kaguya.

When she hesitated, Yorihime said impatiently, "Go!"

The sisters grabbed their weapons, and before they could draw them Kaguya jumped from the boat and into the sea.

She surfaced soon, and began clumsily swimming towards the shimmering barrier before Toyohime could blow Kaguya through it with her fan.

Kaguya dove underwater as she reached the barrier. She felt a sharp, electric tingle go through her head all the way to her feet. She resurfaced, and found herself on Earth.

She could see a beach of some sort up ahead, and she propelled herself forward, knowing there would be only death waiting for her if she turned back. Even though she couldn't die, she'd rather the Watatsuki's weapons not be used on her anytime soon.

When she reached the beach, she crawled onto the sand, and flopped onto her back. Her eyes immediately caught sight of the Moon up above, and she choked back a sob.

No, she would not cry anymore. Exile or no, she was still a princess.

She stood, willing herself to calm down and explore her new surroundings.

Beyond the beach was a forest of tall, thin green plants of some sort. Seeing no other option, Kaguya hesitantly walked toward the strange forest, tucking the vial of elixir into her dress. Surely she could find some sort of city before too long. She was exhausted by her swim, and she had no desire to sleep on the ground like a peasant.

Alas, as the night wore on she could find no city, or even any signs of human life. Clouds had formed up above, and water had started to fall from the sky.

Kaguya soon lost what little vision she had, and didn't see that there was a large rock in her way. She tripped, and fell face-first into the mud.

That broke her. Humiliated, frightened, and alone, Kaguya curled up into a ball and cried.


	2. The Requests

She didn't mean to fall asleep, but somehow she did despite the mud and her soaking wet clothes. It was morning now, and at least the water had stopped falling from the sky. A human man had woken her, a concerned expression on his weathered face.

"Are you alright, miss?" he asked, and Kaguya was surprised to find that this human knew her language.

A shudder of revulsion swept through her, and she was about to tell this dirty human to go away when the more rational part of her intervened. He was likely to know where the nearest settlement was, and where she could find a place to stay. She grimaced at the thought of having to eat human food, but it was either that or starve. Actually…

Now that she was unable to perish, she didn't _have_ to eat or drink anymore. The question was, did she still feel hunger and thirst?

Her stomach growled in answer, and Kaguya became distinctly aware that her mouth was completely dry. Well. That settled it, then. Though she could not die from malnourishment, she still had to attend to regular bodily functions, it seemed.

"Miss?" the human continued, peering closer at her.

Kaguya involuntarily jerked away from him. "U-um...where is the nearest settlement?"

The human blinked, like he wasn't expecting her to be capable of speech. "It's but a three hours' walk from here. Are you alright? You look as if you've been here all night."

"I have," Kaguya muttered, holding her knees against her chest.

The man's eyes widened, and silently Kaguya cursed. She hadn't meant for the human to hear her.

"You must be hungry. Come, follow me back to my cottage. My wife and I will take care of you until you are ready to travel again," the man said gently, holding out a callused hand to her.

She looked at the bronze hand warily, her every instinct screaming for her not to sully herself by touching the lesser being. But this man was promising food and shelter, and besides, Kaguya had dirtied herself the moment she drank the Hourai Elixir.

Honestly, in this foreign land she had nothing left to lose.

"...Very well. Lead me there," she said at last, accepting the man's hand. She couldn't help but shudder as her fair, pale skin touched his rough, sun-kissed one.

He helped her stand, and led her deeper into the forest of the thin, green reeds. He handed her a rough waterskin, urging her to drink. She did, and gagged only slightly at the rancid taste of the water. Still, water was water, and she felt much better after the drink.

"What is your name, if I may ask?" the man asked kindly, looking back at her as he took back his waterskin.

"Kaguya. Kaguya...Hourai….san," she finished lamely. She'd no family name back on the Moon, but it felt fitting that she associate herself with the immortality elixir.

"And you?" she added quickly, remembering her manners.

"Taketori no Okina, and my wife is Kaede. Where are you from? You don't appear to be from around here, judging by your clothes," the man answered.

She hadn't noticed before, but this human was old for his species. His black hair was beginning to turn gray, and there were a few wrinkles on his face. He walked at a somewhat-normal pace, though doubtless he couldn't run very much anymore. She'd hardly seen anything like it before. Only the oldest of Lunarians ever showed signs of wear. One had to be ten-thousands of years old before the first wrinkle appeared on their skin. Still, compared to the ancient Lord Tsukuyomi, this human was positively _youthful!_

"I'm from...a far away land," Kaguya answered vaguely. If she said she was from the Moon, that would open up a line of questions she was not ready to answer. "I used to be a princess, but I was exiled to this country as a punishment for a crime I committed."

She froze, covering her traitor mouth with her hands. She hadn't meant to reveal _that!_ Her despair over her situation had loosened her tongue.

But surprisingly, the human didn't even flinch. He only nodded sagely. "I see. As young as you are, you must be frightened and confused. Being thrust into a strange place so suddenly...I am glad I found you when I did, Princess Kaguya."

He...wasn't afraid? But he didn't even know what crime she committed! As far as he knew, she could be a murderer or arsonist. And there was no way for him to verify that she was a princess. Yet he was treating her as if she'd told him she was on vacation.

Her mind spun, and not just from hunger. This man was not acting like the humans she'd been taught about. He was supposed to be brutal, savage, lustful for blood. Not wise and kind…

Out of nowhere she felt a pang of homesickness. She wondered what her family would be doing right now. Would they return to their daily lives, or were they in mourning for their wayward daughter? And what of the Goddess? What had they done to her?

"What is this plant? I've never seen anything like it before?" she asked, more to distract herself from her thoughts than out of curiosity.

"Ah, it is bamboo. You can use it for just about everything: food, medicine, construction, and even as a writing surface. I cut it daily here in this forest, and sell it to the nearby villages," Okina explained, grabbing a flat leaf and rubbing it between his fingers.

It seemed impossible that this bamboo could be used in so many ways, but Kaguya supposed that humans had to find methods to ease their primitive survival.

She heard the faint hum of a stream, and soon Okina led her to a tiny cottage. A few meters away was the stream she heard.

She raced past Okina, stopping to kneel down in front of the small river and drink until she was sure she'd never be thirsty again.

A shadow fell over her, and she turned to see Okina standing behind her.

"I can have clothes brought to you, if you desire them. My wife is about your size. While we prepare the noontime meal you may take a bath in the river. I'm afraid nothing will be the standard you're used to, however," he told her.

"Ah, you don't have to-" Kaguya tried to deny, but Okina held up a hand.

"Please. It's the least we can do. We don't live a fancy life, but we're comfortable all the same. I shall return," he said, entering the cottage.

It seemed she had no choice. Kaguya sighed, and waited for him to return with the new clothes. She looked around her new surroundings, and spotted a small farm behind the house. There was another path leading to some unknown place, though if she had to hazard a guess she'd say it led to a village.

She heard the door open, and looked up to see Okina with a small woman who appeared to be around his age.

The woman's long hair was also streaked with gray, and there were tiny wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. Clearly, she was a woman who smiled often.

Even now the woman was grinning as she approached Kaguya, holding a pink shirt and a burgundy skirt in her arms.

"Hello," Kaguya said shyly. "Thank you for letting me stay for a day or two."

The woman waved a hand dismissively. "Please. We hardly ever get visitors; it's nice to have company over. And you may stay here as long as you like, Princess Kaguya. I am Kaede. Here are some clothes. They should fit you."

Ah, so Okina already told his wife about her. It was odd to see these two so welcoming to a complete stranger.

Kaguya took the clothes, and inspected them. The shirt was a light pink decorated in many white bows. The skirt was a deep maroon, with golden embroideries shaped like some kind of flower. Doubtless these were the nicest things Kaede owned.

"I can't take these from you," she said, shaking her head.

Kaede snorted. "They look much better on you than me, dear. And besides, you deserve something nice after all that's happened to you."

In the end, Kaguya was forced to accept the clothes. The humans returned to their cottage to allow Kaguya some privacy.

She stripped, and cautiously entered the stream, shivering at its chill. Once she was clean, she put on the new clothes. The sleeves on the shirt were much too long, but it was easy enough to fold them back. The skirt was also too big, and trailed against the ground.

She tried to wash her mud-stained Lunarian clothes, but soon found that the silk garments had been completely ruined by the mud and water. It was a perfect parallel to Kaguya herself. Once she'd been pristine, but now, she was impure.

It was easier than she'd thought to throw them away.

* * *

The human's hadn't lied when they said nothing would be to the standard she was used to. Indeed, Kaguya's closet back on the Moon was bigger than their entire house. But she was determined to make the best out of her situation, and said nothing.

She came to learn more about the two humans she lived with. Okina and Kaede were childless, and treated Kaguya like she was their own. Kaede washed and mended clothes for some of the more wealthier people in the village, while Okina cut and sold the bamboo that grew around them.

In the end, she decided to live with them permanently. She knew nothing about the Earth and about human affairs, and she rather liked her new adopted parents. She was determined to repay them for their kindness, and so she cast about for something she could do to thank them.

She couldn't bake them something, as she soon learned she was a horrible chef, but cleaning was a simple enough task. She got up early one day, and quietly took an old rag and began polishing the cottage. Okina and Kaede woke to a completely spotless house, and they were astounded at her hard work.

So, from then on she cleaned the cottage while Okina cut and Kaede mended. Both were very much relieved to have someone else help with the daily chores.

Kaguya even started joining Okina to the villages when he traveled there to see his bamboo. She was nervous at first, but soon realized the humans in the settlements were just as kind as Okina and Kaede were. She soon found she could help Okina in the villages. The men loved her, and she could usually convince them to pay more than the usual price for the bamboo. The extra money let the trio live a more comfortable life, and Kaguya's homesickness soon began to fade away.

The Earth and humans were not at all like what she had been taught. She'd always been told that the Earth drained away the life from the plants and animals, but Kaguya observed that it was more like the opposite effect. The species on Earth lived such short lives, and so they sought to enjoy every moment they had until it was time for them to die. To them, every day was a new adventure.

And the humans weren't as barbaric as she'd thought. True, there were petty wars here and there, but for the most part they got along with one another. They all understood their place in the scheme of things, and did their best to leave their mark on the world.

Earth was a pretty fascinating planet.

* * *

A few years after she'd first arrived on Earth, men from all over the country began appearing at their cottage, asking for Kaguya's hand in marriage. Tales of her had spread like a wildfire.

She wished she could say she was surprised. No matter where she went, men would stop to stare at her. She knew they thought her pretty. Even on the Moon, she'd frequently get compliments for her beauty. It was nothing new, really.

The hard part was convincing her parents to turn them all away. They loved their adopted daughter, and wished her to find a good husband and settle down. They didn't understand why she refused.

She could never tell them her true reasons for denying all of the suitors. It wouldn't be fair if she married a human, whose life was a mere span of decades. She would live forever; decades were just a drop of water in a lake to her. She would never age, never be sick, while at the same time she'd be forced to watch as her husband slowly decayed into dust. It would be agonizing for both of them.

No, it was better this way, to live alone rather than go through all of that pain. Let her parents wonder. She'd made up her mind.

* * *

One day, her adopted father interrupted her as she struggled to clean boar meat grease out of her skirt. He informed her that she had another visitor.

With a heavy heart and a sigh, she stepped outside to meet the suitor.

He was not at all what she was expecting. He wore modest clothes, and his head was completely devoid of hair. Why had a monk come to see her?

Upon seeing her, the monk gasped, and threw himself down at her feet, crying softly.

"Is everything alright?" she asked in concern.

"No, no! Only that you are more beautiful than I ever imagined!" the monk sobbed.

Her spirits sank. So he _was_ a suitor, then.

"For all my life I have studied the teachings of Buddha, trying for years to reach enlightenment. But I have failed. I despaired! I wondered, have I wasted my entire life? But then I heard of you and your otherworldly beauty, dearest Kaguya Houraisan. And then I knew: this is my reason for living. It is to be your husband. In loving you, I have forsaken all of my vows. I can never again return. But it is a small price to pay if you accept me as your husband," the monk narrated.

He pulled out a bowl that shone with an ethereal light. "This," he breathed. "is the stone begging bowl of Buddha. I have stolen our greatest treasure, for the greatest woman to have graced the earth. Please, accept it, and with it my hand in marriage."

She blinked, taken aback by how much he lusted after her. To have forsaken his own vows and steal from his own temple...his desire for her was no small thing.

But...she could not. She did not love him, could never love him. And he did not know her, only of her beauty. He only saw her for her face, not for who she _was_.

"I am sorry," she said with true sorrow. "but I cannot."

The monk paused, as if he had not heard her, then he slowly stood.

"I have forsaken my vows and stole the bowl for nothing," he said in a far-away, numb voice.

Before she could stop him, he turned around, and left.

Kaguya was tempted to call out to him, but refrained from doing so. She was doing the right thing, she told herself. He would die in a mere span of years, while she would live until the end of time.

The next day, when she went to the village to sell bamboo, a fisherman stopped her. He informed her that the monk had been found dead that morning. He had hanged himself out of despair and guilt for his actions.

The fisherman pressed the begging bowl into a horrified Kaguya's hands, saying that she should be the one to keep it.

She returned to the cottage, weeping over the death of the wayward monk. She'd caused a man to take his own life because he could not stand being without her. She couldn't do it. She couldn't keep telling men to seek another wife, not when it would cause them so much pain.

But she also could not accept them as husbands. How would she ever solve this problem?

She looked down at the begging bowl in her hands, and got an idea.

* * *

About a week after the monk's death, a knight came knocking on her door.

He was a handsome man, with broad shoulders and powerful muscles, but mortal nevertheless. He too brought a special gift for her.

"Dearest Kaguya, you are more beautiful than the stories give you credit for. Among all of the flowers, you are the prettiest rose," he said grandly, bowly deeply.

She giggled. "Well met, my knight! How may I honor your visit?"

He got down on one knee. "I have traveled all across the world, my lady. I've fought great beasts, seen more wars than I can count, and have met many women. But none could ever compare to you, sweet Kaguya. I have come to ask your hand in marriage. With me by your side, I will protect you from all harms, no matter how big or small! I bring this to you too, as a token of my affection."

From his pocket he produced a small tree branch. Kaguya looked closer at it, and saw with wonder that colorful gems in the shape of blossoms grew from the branch! Never before had she seen anything like this. It have to have been the only one in the world.

"This is one of the fabled jeweled branches of the island of Mount Hourai," the knight said. "I stumbled upon it many years ago, and have been saving it for my future wife."

It was a grand gift indeed, and Kaguya was almost loath to have to send him away. Protection was all well and good, but there were other things that were important in a marriage.

"My knight, I am humbled by your gift for me. But I regret to inform you that there are other men seeking me as a wife," she shook her head sadly. Upon seeing his face fall, she added, "Fear not. I am not betrothed to any of them, for I have devised a test to see who is the most worthy of men. If you truly seek to wed me, you may participate in the quest."

Best of all, her parents approved of the tests. They too wanted only the most worthy of men to marry their daughter. What she didn't tell them was that she already possessed the treasure she made her suitors search for.

The thought of a quest cheered him up, and he puffed out his chest. "My lady, I will do whatever it takes. Name your price, and I will meet it."

"You must bring me the scared begging bowl of the Buddha. That is all I require. If you bring it back to me, I will gladly accept you as my husband," Kaguya told him.

"I will do it! I will return soon, my love," the knight turned, eager to be off, but Kaguya had a thought come to her.

"My knight, may I keep your lovely gift? It will keep me company as I await your return," she asked coyly.

"But of course, sweet," the knight bowed, then was off.

Kaguya sat back, and smiled, looking down at the branch she held. Now she had a second treasure to send men after.

Three more suitors arrived in the months after she sent the knight away. Between them all she added three more treasures to her collection: the legendary robe of the Chinese fire-rat, a jewel from a dragon's neck (complete with a golden scale embedded in it), and the sacred Cowry treasure of the swallows.

She sent the first suitor after the bowl and branch, the second after the bowl, branch, and robe, and sent the third suitor after her four unique treasures.

After that, anyone else who came to her were sent out to collect all five of the treasures she secretly harbored. It was better this way, for it gave her a reason to say no without hurting their pride. Some tried to trick her bringing her replicas of the treasures but she was always quick to point out their dishonesty. None ever caught on to her game, and she never had to worry about marriage.

* * *

Many years after her exile, she sat on the steps to her cottage, listening patiently to a young man's confession of his undying love to her.

When he had finished, she smiled. "You certainly have a pure heart. However, I've met many men who also have much to give, and they all seek my hand in marriage too. That is why I have devised five tests for all who wish to wed me. The man who passes them all shall be the man I marry."

"Oh, sweet Kaguya, name your challenges! I shall overcome them all, and then we will be together forever!" the suitor declared, bending down on one knee.

Ah, if only he truly understood the meaning of the word 'forever'.

"Very well. You must bring me five special items. The first item is the sacred begging bowl of the Buddha, to show that I will never again want for anything. The second item is a jeweled branch from the isle of Mount Hourai, to show that I am your most prized treasure. The third is the legendary robe of the fire-rat of China, to mean that you will comfort me like a shawl comforts a weary traveler. The fourth item I request is a colored jewel from a dragon's neck, to show that you love me as much as a dragon loves jewels. And the final task is to bring me the sacred Cowry treasure of the swallows, to symbolize the preciousness of any fruit we bear," Kaguya told him grandly.

The man's face grew pale. "B-but, that will take _years_ to complete, lady Kaguya! I'm not sure if I can even do it!"

She took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly, looking deep into his brown eyes as she did.

"Don't worry, love. I'll wait for you forever."


End file.
